Climbing the Seven Summits

About 350 mountaineers have climbed all "Seven Summits"—the highest peak on each of the seven continents. The first was Dick Bass, an American businessman, on April 30, 1985.

Continent

Mountain

Country and/or location

Height

Feet

Meters

Asia

Mt. Everest

Tibet-Nepal

29,035

8,850

South America

Mt. Aconcagua

Argentina

22,834

6,960

North America

Mt. McKinley (Denali)

United States, Alaska

20,320

6,194

Africa

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Tanzania

19,340

5,995

Europe

Elbrus

Russia/Georgia

18,510

5,642

Antarctica

Vinson Massif

Ellsworth Mts.

16,066

4,897

Australia1

Kosciusko

Australia

7,310

2,228

1. Some climbers believe that the true Seven Summits should include Carstensz Pyramid (16,023 ft.) in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, rather than Australia's Kosciusko. Carstensz is the highest summit in Australia/Oceania, but strictly speaking, Oceania is not a continent.